Give athletes a say, if not pay

Apr. 2, 2014

Former Northwestern quarterback Kain Colter looks on as United Steelworkers president Leo W. Gerard speaks during a Jan. 28 press conference for the College Athletes Players Association. At left is United Steelworker national political director Tim Waters. / Matt Marton/USA TODAY

Written by

Jon Spencer

CentralOhio.com

Former Northwestern quarterback Kain Colter throws a pass in 2013 wearing a wristband with APU written on it for 'All Players United.' / Jerry Lai/USA TODAY

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My defenses are weakening.

Maybe it’s because I just read Northwestern football generated $235 million between 2003-12 and it’s not one of the so-called football factories.

Maybe it’s because I’m all for former Wildcats quarterback Kain Colter raising cane if it will lead to NCAA reform or give college athletes a voice.

It’s definitely because Ohio State athletic director Gene Smith has a clause in his contract pocketing him an $18,000 bonus (one week’s pay) for a national championship won by wrestler Logan Steiber.

As the parent of two college students who haven’t been handed a free education, I’ve been adamantly opposed to paying athletes on scholarship.

But the recent groundbreaking decision by the Chicago regional director of the National Labor Relations Board to recognize Northwestern football players as employees and allow them to unionize is softening my stance.

Especially when juxtaposed with news of Smith’s latest bonus. At the least, that reward is incredibly insensitive given the raging debate about fair compensation to college athletes who walk around with nothing but lint in their pockets despite generating billions of dollars for their schools, conferences and the NCAA.

I admired Colter before he put on a suit and became the face of the College Athletes Players Association. In a 2013 game where the Buckeyes trailed in the fourth quarter before winning, Colter ran for a touchdown, had a scoring reception and completed all 12 of his passes. In a real game. Teddy Bridgewater didn’t come close to that in his pro day.

Colter, who has led the union push, drew attention to the cause in 2013 by wearing APU wristbands for “All Players United.” You’ll now find them on the wrists of Ohio State players as well.

Everyone thinks this union talk is about paying players. Ultimately, it might come to that. But Colter is quick to note the stated goals of CAPA are guarantees of lifetime medical coverage for injuries sustained in college, minimizing athletes’ brain trauma risks and raising the amount of money that athletic scholarships provide.

At the bargaining table, CAPA will fight for schools to pay the full cost of attendance. It’s a little known fact the current NCAA-mandated “full ride” comes up a few thousand dollars short at most schools, sticking the kids and their parents with the bill.

A scholarship covering 100 percent of expenses would be one way to get around actually paying athletes, which, face it, would open several cans of worms: Does the third-string running back make as much as the starting quarterback? Do you pay athletes in non-revenue sports at all? Will some sports be dropped if universities are forced to pay every athlete?

Here’s my favorite question for which there might not be an answer for: If teams unionize, isn’t the NCAA obligated to kick those teams out since it governs sports for “student-athletes,” not “employees?”

So many questions, so few answers. Derek Jeter’s love life is less complicated.

I don’t have an MBA from Harvard and I’m out of my league talking about anti-trust laws, collective bargaining and potential work stoppages, but let me offer one suggestion:

How about actually enforcing the NCAA rule calling for no more than 20 hours per week involvement in “athletically-related activities?”

If coaches want to work 20 hours per day and sleep in their office, maybe that helps them feel like they’re actually earning their $4 or $5 million salaries. But the student-athletes should have the option to be students and work a part-time job for spending money.

In his ruling, NLRB regional director Peter Sung Ohr cited overwhelming evidence Wildcat football players were working more than 40 hours per week and more than people considered university employees.

The ruling quoted Colter, who said he was discouraged from taking a required chemistry class because it conflicted with morning practice. He eventually changed majors.

Restrictions on when athletes could take classes continued in the spring, the supposed “offseason,” “with scholarship players being told by their coaches and academic/athletic advisers that they could not take any classes that started before 11 a.m. as they would conflict with practice,” the ruling stated.

This is at Northwestern, the closest thing the Big Ten has to an Ivy League school.